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Bose is one of the most reliable audio brands around, and its soundbar lineup is full of quality all-in-one home theater solutions. The best Bose soundbars are perfect for people who want immersive audio but don't have the space for a multi-piece surround sound setup.
After testing every Bose soundbar available, I can confidently recommend the Bose Smart Soundbar as my top pick for most people. It's big enough to deliver full and encompassing sound but can still fit on top of most media consoles. Plus, it supports Dolby Atmos for overheard audio effects and has handy features like Alexa voice control. On the other hand, those on a tighter budget or pressed for space should check out the smaller Bose TV Speaker, which lacks Atmos support but still offers solid performance.
Below, you can find a full breakdown of all the best Bose soundbars, with details on what each model is most suited for.
Our top picks for the best Bose soundbars
Best overall: Bose Smart Soundbar - See at Amazon
Best for movie lovers: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar - See at Amazon
Best for smaller spaces: Bose TV Speaker - See at Amazon
Best add-on: Bose Bass Module 500 - See at Amazon
Best overall
The new Bose Smart Soundbar is a refreshed version of the brand's Smart Soundbar 600. It carries over the same design and excellent Dolby Atmos audio performance while adding an AI enhanced dialogue mode and the ability to use Bose Ultra Open Earbuds as rear speakers.
- Dolby Atmos support with up-firing drivers
- Clear dialogue with new AI enhancement mode
- Compact design
- Built-in Alexa capabilities
- Minimal inputs
- Doesn't support DTS
- Lacks separate subwoofer
The Bose Smart Soundbar isn't the brand's most advanced model, but it balances cost and performance the best. It offers rich sound, an extensive set of features, and Dolby Atmos support at a midrange price, enabling it to serve as a great audio upgrade for even the best TVs.
The current Smart Soundbar is a refresh of Bose's older Smart Soundbar 600. It's physically the same soundbar as that previous model but has two new software features: AI Dialogue Mode and the ability to use Bose Ultra Open Earbuds as wireless rear speakers. The Smart Soundbar is meant to replace the 600, so the older model is now discontinued.
The Smart Soundbar can play 5.1.2 channels of audio via its 3.0.2 speaker configuration to spread effects all around your room. This driver array includes two up-firing speakers to bounce audio off your ceiling while watching Dolby Atmos content. I was impressed by the Smart Soundbar's wide sound stage when watching movies and listening to music. In a moderate-sized living room, its volume is more than powerful enough to encompass viewers and keep them engaged. Even if the content you're streaming doesn't support Dolby Atmos, Bose's TrueSpace processing can up-mix stereo and regular 5.1 surround sound to create a height effect.
The Smart Soundbar includes Bose's AI Dialogue Mode, which uses a real-time machine-learning algorithm to boost vocals separate from background effects like explosions or engine noise. I was thoroughly impressed by this Dialogue Mode and ended up leaving it on most of the time. Enhanced speech is a primary reason people want a soundbar, and this solution is excellent.
Another cool perk is Bose's new Personal Surround Sound feature. You can now connect a pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds to the soundbar to use as rear speakers. I tested this while watching "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and it worked flawlessly. The Ultra Open Earbuds left my ears exposed to hear the soundbar but accentuated the finer surrounding details of laser blasts, engine noise, and explosions. But while this is an interesting feature, I'm not sure the experience is worth buying the Ultra Open Earbuds for if you don't already own them. I also question whether it's worth the hassle of wearing earbuds every time you watch a movie.
Beyond playback from your TV via HDMI or optical cable, the Smart Soundbar offers plenty of wireless connection options. With WiFi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, and Spotify Connect all built-in, there are nearly endless ways to listen to music and other audio content. You can use Bose's mobile app to start playing music or send songs to the soundbar directly from one of your other devices. Amazon Alexa is also built-in for voice control and digital assistant functionality, extending the soundbar's usefulness beyond just being tethered to a TV.
For more top picks from other brands, check out our guide to all the best soundbars.
Best for movie lovers
This is Bose's flagship soundbar and it delivers immersive Dolby Atmos audio with 5.1.2 channels of sound. It also comes with a headset that allows you to calibrate the bar's audio to suit your specific room.
- Full and immersive Dolby Atmos sound
- Supports room calibration with included headset
- Black and white color options
- Similar features available on the cheaper Bose Smart Soundbar
- Doesn't support DTS:X
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is the best option for movie lovers looking for big sound, robust up-firing Dolby Atmos performance, and a full suite of features. It expands on the Smart Soundbar's foundation with even more drivers and a larger footprint.
This model delivers 5.1.2 channels of audio via nine integrated speakers and a center tweeter, and I found performance to be deep and expansive, with a wide sound field that seems to extend beyond the bar's physical size. The results are impressive and rival the home theater quality of similar competing Dolby Atmos soundbars like the Sonos Arc.
Beyond size and driver count, the most significant feature that separates the Bose Ultra Soundbar from the brand's cheaper Smart Soundbar is ADAPTiQ calibration, which can adjust the sound profile to your specific room. This makes the biggest impact in oddly shaped spaces or ones with uncommon furniture placements. Be aware that you will need to use the included wired microphone headset to complete the calibration process.
For people all-in on Bose, the Ultra Soundbar also supports private listening with the company's headphones and earbuds. These audio devices can be grouped together for late-night binges. Like the Smart Soundbar model, the Ultra Soundbar features Bose's AI Dialogue Mode to enhance voices if you have trouble hearing them over other sounds.
The Ultra can also play music over WiFi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect. Amazon Alexa support is built-in for voice control making this a home theater soundbar and smart speaker in one. Unlike the company's other soundbars, which only come in black, the Ultra is also available in a white color option, so if aesthetics are important, the Ultra offers a bit more variety.
Best for smaller spaces
This budget-friendly soundbar is ideal for casual TV viewing and its compact size is perfect for smaller rooms and apartments.
- Solid audio despite compact size
- Supports Bluetooth streaming
- Includes remote
- Limited light indicators for bass boost or volume control
- No WiFi
- Doesn't include HDMI cable
- No Dolby Atmos support
The Bose TV Speaker is the brand's most compact and affordable soundbar. It's under two feet in length and just over two inches tall, which makes it the best Bose soundbar for people in smaller spaces like an apartment. Despite knowing its dimensions ahead of time, I was still a bit shocked at how compact the unit looked in person.
Though it delivers less rumble and a lower top volume than Bose's larger models, don't let the TV Speaker's small size deceive you. This compact two-channel soundbar is still capable of producing compelling stereo audio via three speaker drivers.
Even though the TV Speaker doesn't have the same bass level or dynamic range as other Bose soundbars, it still delivered a huge upgrade to the speakers built into my smart TV. During testing, the dialogue was clearer and the overall sound was more evenly balanced. The TV Speaker compares favorably to the Sonos Ray, a similar option that earned spots in our guides to the best budget soundbars and best Sonos soundbars. The TV Speaker is a good alternative to the Sonos model for people who prefer the Bose brand.
That said, this isn't the best Bose soundbar to pick if you crave advanced features and big sound for larger spaces. There's no Dolby Atmos support, dedicated mobile app, or WiFI connectivity, for instance. However, it does support Bluetooth, so you can use it to play music from your phone. But be aware: While the TV Speaker does support connecting to a display via HDMI ARC, it doesn't come with an HDMI cable in the box. It comes with an optical cable instead. Check out our guide to the best HDMI cables if you need a good option.
Best add-on
This subwoofer is an excellent addition to any Bose audio system. It can connect wirelessly or via a cable to compatible Bose devices like the Bose Smart Soundbar, Smart Ultra Soundbar, and Bose TV Speaker.
- Relatively compact design
- Connects wirelessly to Bose soundbars
- Adds significant boost to low-end performance
- Costs almost twice as much as Bose's entry-level soundbar
Bose offers several add-ons for its soundbars, from subwoofers to rear surround speakers. All of these products will enhance the audio experience in meaningful ways, but we recommend you start with the Bose Bass Module 500 if you're aiming to upgrade your Bose setup.
This wireless subwoofer provides a big jump in deep low-frequency performance that will make movies rumble and music hit harder. The Bass Module 500 is compatible with all of the best Bose soundbars. Even if you're pressed for space, the subwoofer connects wirelessly so it can be placed anywhere in the room (though it does need to plug into a power outlet).
Bose also sells a larger Bass Module 700, which offers extra oomph and power, but the more modest 500 unit is no slouch. It can greatly enhance the low-end impact of movies when paired with Bose's smaller TV Speaker and Smart Soundbar, and it even added a noticeable amount of bass to the larger Ultra Soundbar during my tests.
If you're craving a bit more kick from your Bose soundbar system, this is a worthy upgrade to invest in.
How we test Bose soundbars
To evaluate the best Bose soundbars, I conducted hands-on tests with each of the brand's top models to get a sense of how they perform individually and in relation to each other. When considering which soundbar works best for different types of people, I focused on audio quality, physical size, connectivity, advanced software features, and ease of use.
I used each soundbar in different environments, from a bedroom at night to a living room during the day, to get a sense of how each performs in various spaces. I also used a variety of streaming video services to view and listen to the latest blockbusters and classic hits, including content available in Dolby Atmos on the models that support it. I also streamed different songs from a wide range of music genres to get a sense of how the speakers performed for music lovers.
Where possible, I tried to use different connection methods, but in most instances, I stuck with HDMI to get the best-quality audio signal. Similarly, when streaming music, I tested as many connection methods as possible but tried to evaluate the soundbars using the options that offer the highest quality, such as WiFi, when supported.
Bose soundbar FAQs
Can you mount a Bose soundbar to the wall?
The Bose TV Speaker, Smart Soundbar, and Smart Ultra Soundbar can all be wall mounted with the Bose Soundbar Wall Bracket. The mount costs $39 and is a great option for buyers who don't have a TV stand that can accommodate a soundbar. If you're also looking for mounting solutions to hang up your display, visit our guide to the best TV wall mounts.
Can you connect a subwoofer to a Bose soundbar?
All of the best Bose soundbars in this guide are compatible with the Bose Bass Module 500 and 700 subwoofers. Both of these subs can connect to Bose soundbars wirelessly so you can place them anywhere in the room as long as they can reach a power outlet. If you prefer, you can also connect the subwoofer with a wire.
Buyers interested in soundbar models that already include a subwoofer in the package can check out our guide to the best soundbars with subwoofers.
Can you pair rear satellite speakers to a Bose soundbar?
The Bose Smart Soundbar and Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar both support wireless pairing with the Bose Surround Speakers or Bose Surround Speakers 700.
Do Bose soundbars support Dolby Atmos?
The Bose Smart Soundbar and Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar both support Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Dolby Atmos is a surround sound format that uses object-based mixing to spread audio effects in all directions, including above your head. Bose's soundbars use up-firing speaker drivers to bounce audio off the ceiling and back down to your ears.
You can learn more in our Dolby Atmos guide and our roundup of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
Can Bose soundbars play DTS audio?
The Bose soundbars in this guide do not support DTS. Instead, they support Dolby and PCM audio formats. This shouldn't be an issue for most people, as Dolby is the most commonly used format on streaming services and live TV providers.
However, some Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray discs have DTS audio mixes. In order to hear those tracks through any of the Bose soundbars we recommend, you'll need to change your Blu-ray player output settings to PCM.
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